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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25171903">Together</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThePunkRanger/pseuds/ThePunkRanger'>ThePunkRanger</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Warriors - Erin Hunter</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Human, Existential Crisis, Hurt/Comfort, Jayfeather Curses Like A Sailor Because Of Course He Does, M/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-07-09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 04:20:02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,720</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25171903</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThePunkRanger/pseuds/ThePunkRanger</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Flametail is concerned over Littlecloud’s ailing health, and turns to Jayfeather for support.</p>
<p>(Based on the prompt: there’s a long-ass train and we’ve been waiting for it to pass for twenty minutes and you’re leaning out the window of your car yelling at it so I’ll make some polite conversation au)</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Jayfeather/Flametail</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>25</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Together</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I wrote this during NaNoWriMo a few years ago and have literally no excuse for any poorly thought out world-building, but I hope you’ll enjoy anyway because these boys need more love as a ship</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“It sure is a nice thing you’re doin’, Flametail.”Littlecloud said, leaning back in the passenger seat of his car.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Of course.”Flametail glanced over at his mentor from behind the wheel, ignoring the pang of fear that shot through him.He had been more than willing to drive Littlecloud into town for a doctor’s appointment, but if ShadowClan’s healer was going to a hospital for help, then either he was hiding something, or something was seriously wrong.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">He shook himself of the dark thoughts, and began to drum out the beat of the pop song floating from the radio on the steering wheel.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">They traveled in silence until they got to the train tracks that separated the lake from the town beyond it.The gates were just lowering to block the road, and Flametail could see a train approaching a little ways off.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">He sighed as the car rolled to a stop, and leaned back in his seat.The trains that traveled the far border of RiverClan’s territory were notoriously long, and he could only assume that this would be one of the longer ones.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Tough luck.”Littlecloud said lightly, giving his apprentice a reassuring smile.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Yeah, really.”</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Flametail watched, glassy-eyed, as car after car began passing in front of them, slow enough that he could read the entirety of their labels before they passed.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The music cut out to commercial break, and Littlecloud leaned forward to fiddle with the radio, catching small snippets of little-listened to talk shows and easy listening stations.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Flametail glanced down at the clock on the dashboard.It had already been ten minutes, and he still couldn’t glimpse the end of the train.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“HEY, JACKASS!”</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">A loud shout broke the static hum of the radio, and Flametail’s head jerked to the left, catching sight of a young man leaning out the passenger side window of a blue Prius to shout at the passing train.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“MOVE IT, ASSHOLE!”</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Flametail brightened when he caught sight of the young man’s face.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">He cranked down the window of the car and leaned out casually.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Hey, Jayfeather!”</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Jayfeather turned his head toward him, looking at him with blind blue eyes that reflected the bright sunlight.  “Flametail?”</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Fancy meeting you here!”He called cheerily.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Uh, yeah.”Jayfeather replied, sounding distracted.“Hey, is this tin can going to be gone soon?”</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Flametail craned his neck to try and see as far down the tracks as he could.He shook his head, then realized that Jayfeather couldn’t see him.“No!I can’t see the end yet!”</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Jayfeather scoffed angrily, still leaning heavily on the window sill.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Flametail bit his lip, glancing nervously over at Littlecloud.His mentor was reading a book, one leg crossed over his lap.He decided to take the chance, leaning back out the window.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“How’s your garden?”He called, one hand cupped around his mouth.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Jayfeather propped himself on crossed arms on the window sill to better communicate.“It’s growing well!There’s a new tansy bush that’s popped up along the east wall of the old cabin!”Jayfeather pulled his head back inside the car suddenly, then poked back out, “Leafpool says to tell Littlecloud hello!”</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Flametail laughed, then turned to his mentor.“Hey, Leafpool says hello.”</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Littlecloud glanced up from his book with a knowing smile.“Oh good.Tell her hello back from me.”</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Flametail leaned out the window on his chest.“Littlecloud says hello back!”</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The two apprentices hung out their car windows in silence for a moment, the wind kicked up from the railroad tracks ruffling Jayfeather’s long, stoney gray bangs.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Flametail’s thoughts drifted back to Littlecloud, and he winced.He hated the idea of something happening to his mentor, but even he had to admit that Littlecloud was getting old.He had been an apprentice when Brokenstar was leader, and now his hard years were showing.He felt his stomach flip at the thought of having to take over as clan healer.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">He glanced back up at Jayfeather, his blind eyes squinted against the buffeting wind of the train.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Hey, Jayfeather!”He called.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Yeah?”Jayfeather shouted back.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Meet me at the hiking trail, over by the dock, tonight at midnight, okay?”</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Jayfeather seemed surprised.He recovered himself quickly though.“Sure!If this fucking train ever ends!”</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Flametail laughed, finally spotting the caboose as it rounded the bend.</span>
</p>
<p class="p2">—</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Flametail peered around a tree trunk, keeping to the shadows.It was nearly midnight, and he still hadn’t seen any sign of Jayfeather.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">He reassured his anxieties, reminding himself that they had planned to meet </span>
  <span class="s2">at </span>
  <span class="s1">midnight, not before it.Jayfeather was probably just being punctual.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">As the moon climbed higher into the sky, he heard the crunch of leaves and peered around the tree trunk to see Jayfeather, slinking over from the ThunderClan side of the hiking trail.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">He waved, facepalmed, then hurried out into the open to meet the ThunderClan healer halfway.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“So, what’s the issue?”Jayfeather asked, voice flat.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Flametail chewed his lip, thinking over his words.Was it really wise to be sharing this with a member of an enemy clan?No, he was being stupid, healers had no stakes in warrior affairs.All they had to worry about was the safety of everyone involved.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Flametail?”Jayfeather prompted.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“I think Littlecloud is sick.”He blurted out, feeling his face burning red.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Jayfeather looked taken aback, so he continued.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Today, at the train tracks, we were driving home from a doctor’s appointment that he had in town.If he’s going to an outside source for help, then he must have something seriously wrong with him, right?That or he’s hiding something.And neither of those is a good thing.”</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Jayfeather didn’t speak, but Flametail could see his brows furrowed in concern.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Why are you telling me this?”He asked finally.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Flametail shifted uncomfortably.“I can’t talk to anyone in my clan, not even my mom.I’m sure they would understand, but I don’t want to scare them with the idea of their healer dying.”His voice cracked at the end of his sentence, and he could feel his throat grow tight and cold at his own words.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Hey...” Jayfeather reached out a hand, holding Flametail gently by the shoulder, “I’m sure it’s not so bad...”</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Flametail felt his lower lip begin to quiver, and he breathed deeply, trying to quell the sudden surge of emotion.“I’m not ready!”He burst out, tears falling from his bright blue eyes.“I can’t take Littlecloud‘s place as healer!What if I mess up?What if someone gets sick and I can’t remember what herbs to use?What if StarClan gives me a prophecy I can’t figure out and I have no one to go to because Littlecloud is gone and I’m all on my own and then I fail as a healer and as a person and get my entire clan killed!?” </span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Flametail sobbed, falling to his knees on the grassy path.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Flametail...” Jayfeather knelt in front of the young healer, taking his shaky hands in his own.“Flametail, it’s... it’s okay.”His voice came out rough from emotion, and he was glad for his long bangs that he could feel brushing his cheeks in a curtain.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“It’s not!”Flametail wailed, bent in on himself, “It’s not okay!Littlecloud- Little- Littlecloud is too- he’s getting too old!I can see it!I see it every day when I wake up in the morning!What happens when he’s- when- when he’s gone?”Flametail’s voice dropped to a tiny whimper, and Jayfeather felt himself deflate.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“It’s going to be okay.”Jayfeather said softly, and wrapped Flametail into a warm hug.“It’s scary, but it’s going to be okay.”</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Flametail buried his face in Jayfeather’s shoulder, hiccuping with his tears.“How do- hic! How do you- hic!How do you know?”</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Jayfeather stroked Flametail’s fiery locks, breathing deep and steady.“Because I’m here.”</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Flametail looked up at him, eyes and nose streaming from his tears, “You?”He wiped at his nose with the back of his hand, then grimaced when it barely made a difference.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Of course,” Jayfeather said, giving him a small smile, “We’ve got this, you and me.We’re in it together.And there’s Leafpool, and Mothwing, and Willowshine, and Kestrelflight.And even when Littlecloud is gone,” he wiped Flametail’s eyes with a thumb, “He’ll still be here to look out for you.StarClan is only a dream away.”</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Flametail’s face crumpled again at the last of his words, and he hid his face back in Jayfeather’s shoulder.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Flametail, I’m- I’m sorry.I didn’t mean to make you more upset.”Jayfeather said, stroking his back.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Flametail shook his head, not looking up.“No.”His voice broke, and he gripped onto Jayfeather tightly, “No, it’s okay.You’re right.”He sniffled and, after a long moment, raised his head to look at him again.“I’m just sad.”</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Here,” Jayfeather said, repositioning Flametail so that he was facing towards the lake, “Lay back.”</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Flametail did as he was told, settling himself until he was comfortable on the grassy slope of the trail.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Jayfeather laid down beside him.“Look up at StarClan.That’s only as far as Littlecloud will ever be from you.He can see what you’re doing any time of the day, and if you need his help, he’ll be able to give it to you.”</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Flametail stared up at the stars, reaching up every now and then to wipe the remaining tears from his eyes.Silverpelt shown brightly above the still water of the lake, and thousands of twinkling, shining stars stared down at him from above.Each star had been a warrior once, and he marveled at the sheer number that clustered in the deep blue of the sky.Russetfur was up there.Along with Runningnose and Yellowfang, who had been ThunderClan’s healer, as well as ShadowClan’s while she was alive.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">He felt a warm touch at his fingers, and glanced down to see Jayfeather’s hand barely half an inch away from his own.He smiled weakly, and entwined their fingers.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Thank you, Jayfeather.”He whispered, not daring to break the quiet moment.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Always.”Jayfeather replied, voice just as soft.</span>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">A cool breeze blew up from the lake, and he breathed deeply, nose clearing from his tears.He would be okay.And Jayfeather would be there with him.</span>
</p>
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